AN ANDOVER bar owner has been left disappointed and confused by the borough council's decision to refuse his bid to open the venue for longer. 

After being made redundant last year, Jason Wyatt decided to follow his dream and open The Ark Bar - ark standing for 'a random act of kindness'. 

Since opening in December 2022, the bar, in London Street, has been a hit for its live music, variety of cocktails and the work its team does for the community. 

The bar is currently open from 6.30pm till 11.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, but Jason says the majority of their customers don't arrive until 8pm. 

READ MORE: The ARK bar in Andover town centre celebrates at its opening night 

After feedback from customers, asking if the venue would stay open later, Jason submitted an application to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) requesting for the bar to be allowed to remain open until 1am and live music until 12am. 

However, at a meeting of the council's licensing sub-committee last month, he amended his request - asking for the premises to be given permission to remain open until 12.30am, live music to stop at 11pm.

The bar's application was refused by TVBC on the grounds of public nuisance. 

Jason said: "I was extremely disappointed by the decision to refuse my application.

"I now obviously need to find other ways to find revenue, but they have made it hard for me. There is an appeal process but that costs money, money a small business doesn’t have lying around.

"I take the licensing objectives very seriously and I found the whole process very contradictory where their own policy states they should take into consideration the wider community when taking in their considerations not just a specific reason or resident."

The council explained the submissions of the Environmental Health, police and Jason were carefully considered.

SEE MORE: The Ark Bar in Andover town centre is set to open next month

TVBC said there was no evidence that noise from the premises to the residential properties above had been submitted to show that the position has changed since the last committee in 2011. 

The minutes of the meeting on the council's website said: "The Environmental Health officer was invited to address the sub-committee. He advised members that his main concern was that there was no evidence to show that sound insulation between the bar and the residential flats was adequate and therefore the licensing objective ‘Prevention of Public Nuisance’ would not be upheld if this variation was granted. They had made an appointment to measure the noise level, but unfortunately the meeting had not gone ahead."

Jason added: "I understand that if you live above a pub, bar or on a high street, it must be a nightmare – but you do choose to live there."

TheArk Bar has made its mission since opening to work alongside other businesses and charities in Andover. 

Most recently, it raised £555 from a three-day event over Easter for the Yellow Brick Road Project, a charity which aims to end youth homelessness. 

Therefore, Jason felt "confused" by the council's decision to not help his business, while, he says, all he has ever tried to do is better the community.